Munitions



Aug. 14, 1945.

J. C. WHI'I'ESELLl JR Y INVETOR John QWheselLIr. 4

IIIIIIII IIIII'IIII Filed oct. so. 1943 A T-TORNE Y Patented Aug. 14, 1945 fEdWardfG'fBlldd Philadelphia, y )vacia Applicants-october to, isislg'fsenai-NJ. 50.8294

,Manufacturing f I.Crumpalla', 'a corporation of" Pennsylelement in the form of rectangularly-shaped4 spirally wound wire, and cup-shaped castings threaded to the ends of the casing and closely abutting the ends of the spirally wound fragmentation element. The cup-shaped casings are internally threaded, the one to carry a stabilizing iin element and the other to carry a detonating device.

The present invention is directed to improvements in this character of bomb and has for its objects the provision of a bomb casing which can not only'be produced at a lower unit cost than has been heretofore possible but in which increased fragmentation is provided.

Under 'present day conditions, the obtaining of suitable castings in quantity is a serious problem, mainly due to the fact that the steel, and malleable iron foundries have not increased their equipment in proportion to the increase in machining equipment. The objects-of the present invention are attained through the elimination of the end castings and the provision in their place, of end members formed to desired shape from hot rolled steel stock and by the arrangement of these end members in such manner that for a given length casing approximately Sixteen percent more fragmentation is obtained over a casing of the same length utilizing the conventional cup-shaped castings. The cost of the hot rolled steel stock is two-thirds less than that of a malleable casting and the resultant saving in weight and the differential in cost very materially reduces the unit cost ofthe bomb casing.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, the bomb casing of the present invention comprises a main tubular casing I, end members 2 and 3 and a fragmentation element 4.

The casing I is internally threaded at one end, a5 indicated at 5, and is outwardly flared at its opposite end to provide a flange 6, the edge of' which is machined to a desired taper. The end 3 is formed from solid hot rolled steel stock by any suitable forming operation to its shell like frusto-conical'. shape. An internally threaded sleeve 'I is arranged within the end of smaller diameter of the conical end 3 and is circumferentially arc-Welded thereto, as indicated at 8, to provide a gas tight connection.

The flanged end 6 of the casing I is nested fragmentation' bomb within-the .conical end 3,1.the taper thereof corre.-

sponding lto the :taper of Itheend to provide a snug fit, 4and is continuously secured'thereto fby. circumferential'arc welding,v as indicated Vat A9. It i'sto be'notedfthat the largerl end of the end member..3l projects. somewhat vbeyond the flange-'B to provide .an .extended surface, thus-facilitating the`- arc-.weldingoperation v'The fragmentation :element .4, as yis well known` practice, is formed-from Keystone W'irepof appropriate dimension on a suitable coiling machine to Spiral form having an internal diameter substantially that of the casing and is slipped over the casing I with its one end abutting the projecting end of the conical end vmember 3. The sleeve 'I is for the reception of a suitable stabilizing element (not shown).

The end member 2 is more or less in the form of a semi-spherical shell and is formed to shape like the end member 3, from solid hot rolled steel stock by any suitable forming operation, during which operation it is provided with an-end opening for the reception of an internally threaded adaptor I0. The adaptor I0 is for receiving the detonator device (not shown). The end member 2 further embodies an externally threaded sleeve II which is provided with an outwardly extending marginal flange I2. This flange I2 is nested within the cup-shaped end member 2 and is continuously arc-Welded thereto, as indicated at I3, to provide a gas tight connection. Here again, as in the case of the connection of the end member 3 with flange 6, the end member 2 projects beyond the flange I2, thus providing a substantial extended surface for the arc welding of the two parts together.

Final assembly of the casing is accomplished by threading of the sleeve II of the end member 2 with the internal threads 5 of the casing I. In this condition, the fragmentation element 4 is held rmly between the extending ends of the end members 2 and 3, the individual turns thereof being rxnly abutted against each other.

In the prior practice of using castings forthe end members, the ends of the casing were eX- ternally threaded and the castings threaded thereon.

of the casing, thus providing for greater fragmentation capacity.

It is to be noted that the parts of the bomb casing are so arranged and designed as to permit the same to be fabricated by simple shop operations in quantity production.

The Weight and cost of the metal used for the end members are both less than in the case of castings, thus enabling fabrication in quantity production at a materially lesser cost.

2. A fragmentation bomb casing comprising a tubular member, a spirally-Wound fragmentation element surrounding said member, an end member secured to one end of said tubular member and abutting the adjacent end of said fragmentation element, and a second end member of cuplike formation abutting the other end of said fragmentation element, said second end member It is Vto be understood that detailed changes i .idly and permanently secured within said cup may be made in the embodiments shown and described for the purpose of illustration without departing from the spirit of the invention, theV scope of which is defined by the vappended claims.`

What is claimed is:

1. A fragmentation bomb casing comprising a I tubular member, a spirally-wound fragmentation element closely surrounding said member, said member having an outwardly extending Ilange at including a sleeve portion having a threaded connection with the bore of said tubular member l and having an outwardly extending ange rigshaped member.

gAfragmentation bomb casing comprising a `tubular member having an integral radial flange atone end, a cup-shaped stamping surrounding and Welded to said flange, a spirally Wound -fragmentation element surrounding said member and 

